Heavy snow and freezing rain caused hundreds of traffic crashes in Virginia and left tens of thousands of residents in the dark as the central Appalachians and parts of the mid-Atlantic states braced for heavy rains on Wednesday.

The snowstorm that blew into the mid-Atlantic states on Tuesday caused accidents on roads and prompted school closures.

A snowstorm blew into the mid-Atlantic states on Tuesday, causing dozens of accidents on icy roads, prompting school closures and stoking worries about possible power outages.

Unplowed snow on neighborhood roads could cause some schools to delay opening Thursday, or even close. For many school systems, it will mark the third straight day of disruption. On Tuesday, many schools dismissed early or closed because of the incoming storm.

As the snow begins to pick up across the D.C., Maryland and Virginia region, some schools have begun announcing closures and delays for Wednesday, Feb. 12. Washington, D.C. Maryland Virginia

Many schools in Maryland and Virginia will be closed on Wednesday as the region continues to contend with the latest batch of winter weather that brought inches of snow and ice. Some schools were disrupted on Tuesday and dismissed students early,